Coke Rewards for Schools

You can now donate to your school even if the school is not registered for Coke Rewards for Schools. If a school is not registered, they have until June 15, 2011 to redeem points. If the school does not register, accumulated points will be donated to a participating organization.


Like many other programs, Box Tops for Education, Campbell Soup Labels for Education, Target's Take Charge of Education donation program, Office Depot's Back to School Program, Donors Choose, Staples and Do Something Give Back Join a Pack program the participants are as diverse as your community. With the economy the way it is, cuts to many budgets, from local to federal, opportunities exist to encourage community support for our schools. 


My Coke Rewards now allows you to support schools that have not registered yet. 
What can schools select with Coke Rewards? Browse the catalog.

Refresh Your School Technology Sweeps - Donate points to help your school win $20,000 in computers, cameras, tvs and more from Best Buy®. Every 5 points donated earns a school 1 entry. School that register by 9/13/2010 are entered in this sweepstakes.

Q: How does my school earn entries for the Refresh Your School Technology Sweeps?


A: From July 29 – September 30, registered schools can get 1 entry for every 5 points donated by a My Coke Rewards member. During this same time, any school that registers for the program will earn 1 entry for registration and 1 entry for every 5 points donated by a My Coke Rewards member. See sweepstake rules for full details.

Q: What brands participate in the My Coke Rewards for Schools Program?


A: Any My Coke Rewards points earned from codes found on participating brand packages can be donated to a school. My Coke Rewards participating brands include Coca-Cola, Diet Coke, Coke Zero, Sprite, Sprite Zero, DASANI, POWERADE ION, Minute Maid, VAULT, Pibb Extra, Fanta, Fresca, Barq’s, and Mello Yello. For a full list of participating brands and packages, check out the “Pick Up Points” section of My Coke Rewards. Any Bonus Points earned can also be donated to schools. Participating brands may change so check the site for a complete list of current participating brands and packages.

Q: How can I help my school get registered?

A: Help put your school in play and make great things happen. Talk to your school principal, parent teacher group leader or faculty member and ask them to appoint a School Coordinator for yourschool - or even volunteer to be one. The School Coordinator is responsible for managing the school's account, encouraging community point donations, and redeeming rewards for the school. Use our email tool below to forward a message to your school and encourage them to register. Or, if you are authorized to be a School Coordinator, get your school signed up today.

This is a great opportunity to encourage community support for your school. I have tried to get anyone at Butler High School to register the school since 2006. Today I searched for schools in our district by zip code then conducted another search by city and state. Here are the results:


A BRIAN MERRY ELEM SCHOOL - Not Registered
A R JOHNSON HEALTH SCI ENG HS (Magnet) - Not Registered
ACADEMY OF RICHMOND CO HS - Not Registered
AQUINAS HIGH SCHOOL - Not Registered
AUGUSTA CHRISTIAN SCHOOL - Not Registered
BARTON CHAPEL ELEM SCHOOL - Not Registered
BAYVALE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL - Not Registered
BUNGALOW RD ALT CNTR - Not Registered
BUTLER COMPREHENSIVE HIGH SCH - Not Registered
COLLINS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL - Not Registered
COPELAND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL - Not Registered
CRAIG-HOUGHTON ELEM SCHOOL - Not Registered
CROSS CREEK HIGH SCHOOL - Registered
DAVIDSON FINE ARTS SCHOOL (Magnet) - Not Registered
EAST AUGUSTA MIDDLE SCHOOL - Not Registered
EVENING SCHOOL - Not Registered
GARRETT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL - Not Registered
GLENN HILLS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL - Not Registered
GLENN HILLS HIGH SCHOOL - Not Registered
GLENN HILLS MIDDLE SCHOOL - Not Registered
GOSHEN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL - Not Registered
GRACEWOOD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL - Registered
HAINS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL - Registered
HORNSBY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL - Not Registered
JENKINS WHITE ELEM SCHOOL - Registered
JOHN M TUTT MIDDLE SCHOOL - Registered
JOSEPH LAMAR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL - Not Registered
JOSEY HIGH SCHOOL - Not Registered
LAKE FOREST HILLS ELEM SCHOOL - Not Registered
LAMAR-MILLEDGE ELEM SCHOOL - Registered
LANGFORD MIDDLE SCHOOL - Not Registered
LUCEY C LANEY HIGH SCHOOL - Not Registered
MEADOWBROOK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL - Not Registered
MONTE SANO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL - Not Registered
MURPHEY MIDDLE SCHOOL - Not Registered
NATIONAL HILLS ELEM SCHOOL - Registered
REYNOLDS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL - Registered
ROY E ROLLINS ELEM SCHOOL - Not Registered
SEGO MIDDLE SCHOOL - Not Registered
SOUTHSIDE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL - Not Registered
TERRACE MANOR ELEM SCHOOL - Not Registered
TOBACCO ROAD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL - Not Registered
TUBMAN MIDDLE SCHOOL - Not Registered
WALKER TRADITIONAL MAGNET SCH - Registered
WARREN ROAD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL - Not Registered
WESTSIDE HIGH SCHOOL - Not Registered
WHEELESS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL - Not Registered
WILKINSON GARDENS ELEM SCHOOL - Not Registered
WINDSOR SPRING ROAD ELEM SCH - Not Registered

Do you support schools by participating in any of these programs, Box Tops for Education, Campbell Soup Labels for Education, Target's Take Charge of Education donation program, Office Depot Back to School Program, Donors Choose, Staples and Do Something Give Back Join a Pack program, local businesses to major corporations?

Do you have a favorite? Which programs to you recommend when seeking community support? Do you support schools not in your district to support family and friends that do not live in your community? What ways do you encourage/participate in community opportunities to demonstrate your support for learning, education, and those who will eventually replace you?



Comments are welcome.

CACs and Personal Computers

Want to use your Common Access Card (CAC) to log onto AKO/DKO from your personal computer?

You need four things:

• Have a CAC reader (hardware)
• Install the DoD Certificates (software)
• Install ActivClient (software)
• CAC registered with AKO 

Where can you find this information?

MilitaryCAC Public site developed and maintained by CW3 (Chief Warrant Officer Three) Michael J. Danberry

Additional resources from the Military CAC site and on Facebook

AKO log in needed for the following links:

From the AKO/DKO CAC Reference Center

Resources for Apple users

Resources for Linux users

Don't want to do a total install or do not have the requirement to sign documents or use DTS?

Try LPS (Lightweight Portable Security) which allows you to use your CAC to log on to CAC enabled sites. Lightweight Portable Security (LPS) creates a secure end node from trusted media on almost any Intel-based computer (PC or Mac). LPS boots a thin Linux operating system from a CD without mounting a local hard drive.

The MilitaryCAC.com website was developed and is maintained by CW3 (Chief Warrant Officer Three) Michael J. Danberry. MilitaryCAC.com has been online since 9 November 2007 and has grown into a large website for CAC related information and support. CW3 Danberry is the content provider for the AKO CAC Reference Center.

Have you installed a CAC reader on your PC? Do you have recommendations and lessons learned for others?

Links used (for those whose cannot access links to click through):

CAC Readers http://militarycac.com/usbreaders.htm

AKO/DKO CAC Reference Center https://www.us.army.mil/suite/page/241504
AKO/DKO CAC resources for Apple users  https://www.us.army.mil/suite/page/610909
AKO/DKO CAC resources for Linux users https://www.us.army.mil/suite/page/610911
MilitaryCAC.com Many resources https://militarycac.com/
Military CAC on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=54695915978
Lightweight Portable Security (LPS) http://spi.dod.mil/lipose.htm
About CW3 Danberry https://militarycac.com/aboutme.htm

FUD Do you perpetuate or eradicate?

FUD - Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt or Fear, Uncertainty, and Disinformation
Do you perpetuate or educate to eradicate this acronym?


From Wikipedia:  "FUD is generally a strategic attempt to influence public perception by disseminating negative and dubious/false information designed to undermine the credibility of their beliefs.


The Wikipedia FUD article also addresses:  Definition, Contemporary examples, Real estate agents, Security industry and profession, Non-computer uses, References, and External links.


FUD is addressed in some dissertations I have been reading and reflective thoughts are conjured up of individuals with coercive leadership styles who perpetuate this acronym. These individuals range from community members, parents, educators, administrators, and church leaders, who continue to ban technology for no other reason than, "I said so" or "I am in charge and that is my final decision."


How do you deal with those who perpetuate FUD? How do we help others to think critically about the FUD factors?  Do you perpetuate or educate others to eradicate FUD?  Would you challenge your learners to update this Wikipedia entry on FUD?

Comments, recommendations, and solutions are always welcome.

What is an AAR? Why do an AAR?

An AAR, aka After Action Review or hotwash.


“The Army's After Action Review (AAR) is arguably one of the most successful organizational learning methods yet devised. Yet, most every corporate effort to graft this truly innovative practices into their culture has failed because, again and again, people reduce the living practice of AAR's to a sterile technique.” Peter Senge


I learned to facilitate and participate in AARs while in the military but the process meets the requirement for formal or informal assessments, with yourself, one on one, or in a collaborative environment. I use it in assessments in my roles as a parent, student, employee, community member, with HS students, military students, peers, supervisors, and other participants after all types of events.


Some key points to remember if you decide to conduct an AAR with yourself, learners, family members, advocacy groups, and/or community groups:



Determine what participants have learned from the experience, exercise, event --
a. Solicit questions and explanations.
b. Ask questions and receive answers from the participants to encourage self actualization/awareness and identify other methods of doing things.
c. Provide immediate feedback in context to the material and correct misunderstandings.
d. Remain unbiased in the facilitator role.
e. Focus on learning and improvement.
f.  Document recommendations, solutions, lessons learned and connect to next steps of learning, exercise, events and/or self improvement.
g. Follow through.



Wikipedia entry for after action reviews. 


The US Army published a training circular (TC 25-20) in September 1993, A Leader's Guide to After Action Reviews.


Big Dog & Little Dog's Performance Juxtaposition AAR page. Provides definitions, diagram, steps to conduct, strategies, and references.


After Action Review Appendix G, FM 25-101, Battle Focused Training, 30 September 1990 (FM 25-101 superseded by FM 7-1)


The Wildland Fire Leadership Development Program provides links for references to AARs.


Do you conduct AARs? What do you learn from an AAR? Have you facilitated/participated in an event like an AAR with a different title or label?


Comments, recommendations, and feedback are always welcome.

Leadership Day 2010 - Call to all bloggers

For the 4th year, Dr. Scott Mcleod is calling all bloggers to participate in Leadership Day 2010 on July 30, 2010. Everything you need to know to participate is available in the Calling all Bloggers - Leadership Day 2010 blog post.  

From Dangerously Irrelevant

Dr. Mcleod provides you with prompts to spark ideas, a checklist, history of the Leadership Day blog challenge, a badge, and instructions on how to participate in the Leadership Day 10 blogger challenge post. Leaders come in all forms, all ages, and all levels of technology experience, we learn from you, because of you, or in spite of you.


For those who choose to "lurk and learn" review ISTE NETS-A, search for the official hashtag #leadershipday10, comment on someone's blog post, forward links to friends, tinker with something in technology, or NOT. For those who share knowledge, skills, and experience...thank you, continue doing what you do.


Last year for Leadership Day 2009, I did a blog post asking the question, "What are you doing? Leadership Day 2009", this year I continue to challenge you to do whatever you can...with and for our replacements...at some point you will be replaced. 

If our learners are our credentials...how is that working for you?

Regardless of your role...you are a stakeholder, whether you work for, live near, pay taxes for a learning environment, whether you are one, know one, want to be one from a student, administrator, educator, parent, support staff, parent, guardian, business owner, community member, concerned citizen or a combination of the above...do something.


You play a vital role in the unity of a community, observe, assess, adapt, implement, overcome, self educate, encourage others to share what they know and from Steven Covey's 7 Habits, "Seek first to understand, then be understood".


Look how far Google Apps Education Edition has come in the last 4 years.
From the Oregon Dept of Ed and Google Apps presentation as Oregon became the first state to allow districts to implement GAEE:
The published slide presentation
The Question and Answer session
Oregon Department of Education Google Apps Case Study
Google Moderator Questions and Answers for the ODoEd webinar
Colorado and Iowa opt for Google Apps Education Edition (June 2010)

In June 2009, PBS Frontline Digital Nation did a piece titled, How Google Saved a School? Principal Jason Levy used Google applications and a 1-to-1 laptop program to turn around Intermediate School 339.
IS 339 Dot-to-Dot A digital celebration program June 16-19, 2010
Presentations from the 2009 Dot-to-Dot program
Follow Jason Levy, Principal of IS339 on Twitter
About Dot-to-Dot A Global Learning Reception FAQ

Prince George's County Public Schools (PGCPS) Project Plans for Google Apps.
18th largest school district in US, 209 Schools, 129,500 Students, Over 22,000 Employees, Over 60,000 Computers. Change from previous presentations 20K more computers, 6K less employees.

Prince George's County Public Schools (PGCPS) has been Googlized and subsites of presentations at CloudCamp, CoSN 2010, Gartner 2009, NECC 2009, MICCA 2009, ASBO 2009.

Dr. Helen Barrett's ePortfolio Mash Up with GoogleApps (2007)

Save the time and energy wasted on complaining, banning, and ignoring it and take some time to listen, understand, learn, then share it with someone.

Thanks to Dr. Scott McLeod for taking time from his own busy schedule to keep the Leadership Day blog call to action a positive and shared learning experience and thanks to everyone who does something to support Dr. Mcleod's reminder, "because , I promise you, if the leaders don't get it, it isn't going to happen" (2010).

Diigo SB site and an Action Researcher's Tool?

For those new to bookmarking and social networking you may ask, "What is Diigo?" For those who are experienced social bookmarkers and experiment with digg, Del.icio.us, StumbleUpon, and the many other bookmarking sites such as the 125 Social Bookmarking sites addressed here.  Diigo 5.0 provides some updates that you can use, regardless of your platform selection, and adaptable to a variety of audiences.
Read more about the Diigo 5.0 updates on their blog.

My favorite of the latest updates:

The new Android phone application called “Diigo Power Note” is being released as a part of Diigo 5.0, which enables Android phone users to collect, organize, sync and access a variety of information such as bookmarks, notes, and pictures. So you can jot down or speak your ideas and thoughts, and take pictures of things you like to be reminded to buy or research later, or business cards handed to you. With Diigo Power Note, you literally have a photographic memory.

Information on how to download and install Diigo Power Note is available here. You can use the QR code and a bar scanner to be directed to the app or visit the Market on your Android phone and search for Diigo. The latest update to Diigo's Power Note adds Speech to Text and SMS functionality.

So my new challenge is to use it to supplement the research for my dissertation whenever and wherever the opportunities arise. While this app may not be for everyone, I believe it should be a staple for individuals conducting any type of action research and particularly those pursuing degrees in fields of educational and instructional technology.


As with any changes to apps, systems, user interfaces, implementing the new tool will make it a habit. Whether you use Diigo as an educator, for personal and/or professional reasons you can see the opportunities to collaborate and gain the perspective the Blind Men and the Elephant on a research project, share the different perspectives, then have an archive for future reference.


Read more about Diigo on the About Us site. The evolution of Diigo:

Another Diigo favorite is Awesome Screenshot: Capture & Annotate by Diigo (3162) - 115,502 users - Weekly installs: 44,955 Capture the whole page or any portion, annotate it with rectangles, circles, arrows, lines and text, one-click upload to share.Check out all of the Chrome Extensions.


Do you have a favorite social bookmarking and screen capture and annotate tool? Whether you are a student in life, a formal classroom at any level, a community volunteer, the family data collector, what are your favorite social bookmarking and screen capture and annotate tools and sites?

Comments, recommendations, and shared knowledge are always welcome.

Do you Qurify? Are you using QR codes?

What are you doing with QR codes? What can you do with QR codes? What do you need to qurify? Have you seen a QR codes on name tags, in the windows of building, on business cards, blogs, tattoos, symbols on shirts?


QR Code News, Videos, and Forum. Multiple resources of information on who, what, where, why, when and how (5WH) of everything QR code information. Want to know if your phone is capable? Want to know who is doing what with QR codes?


QR Codes via Wikipedia. Where you can read about the standards, license, storage, variants, QR codes as artwork, standalone apps, and references.


Want a QR code for WordPress or Blogger? Check out: QR Code Plugin for WordPress and Blogger Gadget Display whatever QR Code you want and let your users qurify their messages into a QR Code as well. On your blog! Test the gadget here and install the free gadget on your blog.


Diigo lets users qurify the app and download it to your phone. Diigo Power Note for Android - Your memory booster on the go! Key features:  Add text notes, bookmarks, snapshots, pictures, text messages to your diigo library; Access recent items in your diigo library; Access your bookmarks marked as "Read later".


So what do you need?
A smart phone with an operational camera, a bar code reader, and depending on the bar code reader users have the option to directly visit the URL, send the information via email or SMS.
You can test your phone and bar code reader by accessing your bar code app on your phone, viewing the bar code on the right side of the blog (or through this link) and the bar code reader app should display the link to this blog. 


Depending on your device, the apps market for the device there are more than enough bar code readers to choose from. Let me know if you have a favorite, or if you have changed bar code reader apps, or ones we should avoid and why. How do you use QR codes? What is your favorite bar code reader or QR code generation site?

Vicki Davis aka Cool Cat Teacher posted this entry Hardlink to the Future: QR codes (June 2009)
Liz Kolb posted this entry on how to create QR codes for any subject and how QR codes can be integrated in the classroom (January 2009).
Mr. Robbo the PE Geek has some interesting posts about using QR codes in education (2009-2010).
Gerry McKiernan 's posts: QR codes and libraries and  QR codes in publications


Comments, recommendations, and links to your favorite QR codes are welcome. For those who have used QR codes at one time, are you still using them? your students? businesses? 

What is milSuite?

Update: milSuite Enterprise Edition launched February 19, 2011: https://www.milsuite.mil
Links are updated in the blog post.

The 30 second YouTube commercial about milSuite

milSuite is a collection of online tools designed to promote collaboration and information sharing, in a secure, online environment and was launched in October 2009. The milSuite portfolio currently includes milBook, milBlog, and milWiki.


milSuite provides these capabilities by focusing on three main objectives:  locating information, sharing knowledge and connecting people. CAC (Common Access Card) must be registered with valid AKO/DKO account to access the milSuite components.

milSuite has a presence on Twitter, Facebook, Flickr, and YouTube.

milBook is an initiative to connect people across the AKO/DKO community.  milBook acts as a central hub for networking workforce professionals with others of similar interests, much like the popular social media sites Facebook™ and LinkedIn™.  Users have the ability to share information through group blogs, discussions, and private wiki documents allowing secure communities of interest to grow and connect with others across the greater Military community.


milWiki is a collaboration tool used by the AKO/DKO community.  It is a powerful tool and a living knowledge bank where experts are encouraged to contribute their experience and knowledge and update the information as it happens.  It allows users to integrate and interlink knowledge into topical-based articles and collaborate on issues up to and including UNCLASSIFIED/FOUO documentation.  milWiki's goal is to capture the intellectual property of the AKO/DKO community and allow users to easily locate and expand upon that knowledge through community updates.


milBlog is a place to find and share the latest news, insider articles, comments, and posts from the community.  It is designed to invite collaboration through discussion and comments on news, events, and announcements that impact the greater AKO/DKO community.  Readers can comment and ask questions that really get the discussion started.  milBlog provides quick easy access and a secure awareness to mission related knowledge and information.


milTube is a platform to capture the numerous internal videos being created across the Department of Defense.

*Clicking on the links for milBook, milBlog, and milWiki will direct you to the milSuite page unless you are logged in with AKO/DKO credentials. The milSuite components, milBook, milBlog, milWiki, and milTube can be accessed from the My Training page through AKO/DKO.


Supplemental articles:
PEO C3T Catapults Army into Social Media Arena December 2009
milBook harnesses social media behind DOD firewalls January 2010
milSuite is the new water cooler Feb 2010 
Collaboration Tools for the Federal Government March 2010
A Case of Social Military April 2010


milSuite has a presence on Twitter, Facebook, Flickr, and YouTube.

GAEE - Oregon, IS339, and PGCPS

Acronymese...for those who speak it just one part of a daily dialect...every career field has one including education and technology.

Some schools and school districts are opting to implement Google Apps Education Edition (GAEE) for a variety of reasons. Google provides case studies on the GAEE site, but finding formal documented research in dissertations is challenging. Links available in this post feature the Oregon Department of Education, NY IS339, and Prince George's County Public Schools (PGCPS) and Google Apps Education Edition.

Recently Oregon Department of Education made the news for being the first state to partner with Google to allow the schools in Oregon to implement GAEE. You can take 55 minutes to watch the YouTube version of the recorded webinar or bookmark it for incremental reviews. They estimate savings of $1.5M per year by moving to Google Apps and answer questions from training to CIPA and FERPA. Join Steve Nelson, Chief IT Strategist for the Oregon Department of Education, and Jaime Casap, Business Development Manager for Google Apps Education, for this recorded webinar to hear the benefits of Google Apps, why Oregon decided to "Go Google", and plans for using Google Apps with all the schools.

More information from the Oregon Dept of Ed and Google Apps presentation:
The published slide presentation
The Question and Answer session
Oregon Department of Education Google Apps Case Study
Google Moderator Questions and Answers for the ODoEd webinar

In June 2009, PBS Frontline Digital Nation did a piece titled, How Google Saved a School? Principal Jason Levy used Google applications and a 1-to-1 laptop program to turn around Intermediate School 339.
IS 339 Dot-to-Dot A digital celebration program for 2010 is scheduled for June 16-19, 2010
Presentations from the 2009 Dot-to-Dot program
Follow Jason Levy, Principal of IS339 on Twitter
About Dot-to-Dot A Global Learning Reception FAQ


Prince George's County Public Schools (PGCPS) Project Plans for Google Apps.
18th largest school district in US, 209 Schools, 129,500 Students, Over 22,000 Employees, Over 60,000 Computers. Change from previous presentations 20K more computers, 6K less employees.

Prince George's County Public Schools (PGCPS) has been Googlized and subsites of presentations at CloudCamp, CoSN 2010, Gartner 2009, NECC 2009, MICCA 2009, ASBO 2009.

Google in Education - Diigo

Dr. Helen Barrett's ePortfolio Mash Up with GoogleApps (2007)

More information is available from the Google Apps Education Resource Center where you can:
Learn More:  Customer Case Studies, Resource Center, Security & Privacy FAQ

Get Started: Quick Start Guide, Google Apps Education FAQ
Downloads: Security Whitepaper, Google Apps for K12, Google Apps for K12 FAQ, Google Education Solutions, Improving the writing process with Google Docs
In the classroom: K-12 Lesson Plans
Stay Connected: Quarterly EDU Newsletter, New Features Email & RSS, Google Enterprise Blog, Google Apps on Twitter

Opposition articles:
ITS delays switch to GMail Yale Daily News March 30, 2010
Gmail pilot ends UC Davis opts not to outsource faculty, staff email  May 1, 2010
Biggest US cloud deployment kills Google Apps for Education ZDNet June 4, 2010

Would love any references to educators, administrators, and students who are or have participated in any action research as schools progress through the GAEE implementation. Are you part of a school, district, or state that has or is implementing Google Apps Education Edition? What happens if you attend school that has implemented GAEE then transfer to a school lacking technology or vice versa? Thoughts, comments, and recommendations are welcome.

Learning another Language?

With so many Internet connected devices, the different reasons to learn another language, and the diverse resources available for those exploring learning opportunities about a foreign language what is one to do? What if you want to type in the foreign language? Convert existing documents? Read a current web page in another language? Contribute to wikis about other languages? For those who enjoy options, here are a few:


Google Translate - Translate text, webpages, and documents.
Google Translate Tools - Add Google Translator to your website and/or add Google Translate to your toolbar for 1 click translations.
Google Translator Toolkit  Allows human translators to work faster and more accurately, aided by technologies like Google Translate. How is this different from Google Translate?
Google Translated Search - Search other websites in a foreign language.
Google Translate for Chrome Translate any webpage with one click.


Typing Spanish Accents Information for users of Windows 3.11, Windows XP, Windows Vista, Using the U.S. - International Keyboard, and Mac Users to change the keyboard options or use the cryptic keys.


Typing in Spanish - A table summarizes some key combinations that are useful on various platforms. It also shows the codes for HTML and RSS files.  


Wikijunior Languages From Arabic to Urdu and options to contribute to other languages being developed from Albanian to Yiddish. 


SpanishPod Mobile for iPhones and Androids Learning on your mobile device.


Wikibooks - Languages - Languages are categorized by featured wikibooks and subsections.


Spanish Wikibook in English and Spanish

Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center Resources - Resources include culture and area studies materials, country familiarization materials with language phrase books, and online reading and listening lessons for independent learners.

Global Language Online Support System (GLOSS) - more than 4,000 lessons, GLOSS is a valuable resource in maintaining and improving language ability of the learners.


Byki - Personalized language learning system from flash cards, ecards, iPhone Twitter app, and more for over 70 languages.


Transparent Language - Free Language Resources from word of the day, vocabulary, blogs to social media connections. 


Cybrary Man's Educational Web Sites for EFL, ELL, ESL, and Bilingual Ed


Many resources for learning a second language are available through the Internet. A countless number of programs, books, and learning opportunities are available for anyone seeking a second (or 3rd, 4th, or insert number here) language. So whether you are learning another language for career progression, education, vacation, tutoring, or you are curious some resources are listed in this post.  Your shared recommendations, links, and additional resources are always welcome.

Another lesson learned

This post is a reflection of my humbling experience while attempting to turn in my daughter's military ID card.


My daughter made the decision to move on and out...I was cool, actually excited for her regardless of her other life choices and decisions, happy that she made the decision...but that is an entirely different blog post.


Since she is my military dependent...connected through Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS) which entitles her to medical and dental care through TRICARE I told her to give up the military ID card. I went to the Soldier Service Center to turn in her ID card.


The waiting room was full as I signed in and I sat down until they called my name. It was probably my shortest wait in a military ID card facility. Others who signed in before me were called and issued numbers...my experience went like this:


Service rep:  What can we do for you today?
Me:  I am here to turn in my daughter's ID card and remove her from DEERS.
Service rep:  Did she join the military or get married?
Me:  No, she has moved out of her registered address.
Service rep:  OK, so you want to update her address.
Me: No, I want to turn in her ID card and and remove her from DEERS.
Service rep:  The current DoD (Department of Defense) ruling states that the child family member (aka dependent) are entitled to the ID card including medical care until they are 21 even if they do not live with you. They are only required to turn in their ID card if they join the military (then they receive their own card) or get married.


I can only imagine the look on my face as I wanted to complete the effective communication process by stating what I believed I heard.


Me:  So you are telling me that I have to continue paying for her medical and dental insurance and she can have access to the rights that come with the military ID card yet I can't claim her on my taxes, she can run off and get married and I wouldn't know it to turn in her ID card because I am the military retiree?
Service rep:  Yes...and she can keep the ID card until she is 23 if she can provide documentation that she is in college.


So in my learning experience I was humbled...no more or less than any other day.  For anyone else out there who may have a child with a military ID card, who is also a legal adult, who you thought may come off your DEERS, TRICARE, or any other military benefit simply because they moved out...the times have changed. 


To my daughter: Be safe, be strong, enjoy life, learn from your decisions, enjoy the transfer from college to the school of life, and from our favorite book, Love You Forever, (Munsch):  I'll love you forever, I'll like you for always, as long as your living my baby you'll be. Thank you once again for enlightening my world...I will continue to learn from you, with you as you continue on your own journey...and don't forget to make that dental appointment before that cavity gets the best of you.